A Princess Out of the Ashes
by LilyLunaPotter142
Summary: Lily Equestriana is the princess of Panem, she hates the Capitol with a passion. But when she is reaped for the 74th Hunger Games she realises that, if she is to get back home, she has more important things to worry about. Joint story by me, and from the end of Chapter 16 onwards, CloveDiedForYourSins.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N-This is the first part of a story me and CloveDiedForYourSins wrote. Reviews are appreciated but this is my first Fanfic so don't be too harsh.**

I wake with a start and feel pain all down the left side of my body; before I have time for my brain to work out where I am, I reach out for my sword. It's gone! Now, I realise I've fallen out of bed, again. I've been going through this routine for the past week. Ever since President Snow came to our house and as good as told me I was going to die a slow, painful death. He might even reap me into the Games. Reap! Reaping! It's the Reaping today! How could I forget! 24 more innocent children thrown in an arena to fight to the death. 2 children from each district, I wonder who will be picked from my district, District 10. Everyone will come home, 23 of them in a wooden box and one with money and fame and people from the Capitol swooning over them, they disgust me! The people from the Capitol, they find it fun, people as young as 12 dying, never seeing their families again. The people who come back still aren't in good condition, it all seems good, getting money, fame and keeping their life; my mother's best friend came back from the games and hasn't been the same since, watching all of those people die, even worse if it was at your own hands. She will sometimes let her mind wonder and dwell on the Games; nothing could make her forget, not the money, not the fame, not even the fact that she still has her life.

I wander through my dressing room and pull on my blue top and skirt then go down to the kitchen where my mother has made breakfast, hot grain. It's hardly a meal fit for a princess but neither is any meal I've ever eaten. I long for the big banquets and the hot chocolate my grandparents tell me about. I hate the Capitol, who overthrew us, took our kingdom, America. They turned it into Panem, Panem, eugh. A disgusting name if ever I heard one. I hate the way they take my friends and family, through the Games and the peacekeepers. They were supposedly doing what was best for the people; they said my ancestors rule had been harsh, cruel even! Who are they to tell us about cruelty! They don't know what it's like to stand in the square wondering who will be taken to die, it's worse than the slaughterhouse! At least that would be a quick death, not as bad as being mauled by seemingly harmless birds. At least then I would know I was going to die, I had no chance, but in the Games anything could happen, I would be wondering if I could win. If I were in the Games I would win, I would defy the Capitol with all my might, all my strength, my mother says I'm strong, I mean I can overpower the cows and horses but the Careers could probably wrestle a rhino to the ground. Careers, the people from Districts 1, 2 and 4, they eat right out of the Capitol's hand; make their entertainment so much more entertaining. They make me sick, they have training, although that's technically 'against the rules', they like being reaped, it's only a game to them, a game where you get money and fame. It isn't their fault, I suppose; the Capitol brainwash them from a very early age, giving them no choice in life other than kill or be killed. But I still can't forgive them.

I am jolted back to my senses by a knock on the door. I know who it is, I run to the door after quickly checking over myself in the mirror and, after grabbing my sword and cloak, I open the door and the breath is knocked out of me, Charro is standing by my doorstep, making even the pond lilies look dull by comparison. He is leaning against the doorframe ruffling his black hair, he looks at me with those big, green eyes and I am paralysed, held there by his gaze. I wonder if I'll ever get used to it, I probably won't. He finally looks away and I take my chance, reaching up on my tiptoes I swipe a quick kiss. His lips are warm and when I pull away he follows my lead, if somewhat reluctantly.

We wordlessly reach for each other's hands and then start wandering towards the part of the fence that we know the electricity doesn't flow through, and is out of view from the Peacekeepers' guard towers. We slide under the fence effortlessly, as we have done for years.

"Remember when we first came through here?" Charro asks, putting his arm around my shoulders.

"How could I forget?" I reply, placing my arm around his waist.

Ever since we were 12 we've been coming here. It started when our best friend, Jane, was reaped and died at the hands of the Careers; I hate them with their training, with all their food on their table when they get home, never having to properly work for it, with their faces never showing regret, never, even if they're taking the life of a 12 year old, a child, who has never lived, never understood what he or she'd done wrong. I remember when we went to visit her, she was mad, her usually calm aura gone, she thought she was being punished, she started naming little insignificant things that she said the Capitol would want to punish her for. Things like, she picked some dandelions and brought them home to her family to eat. When Jane was brutally murdered by those monsters, me and Charro decided to defy the Capitol in some way. We decided the best way to defy them, without getting shot, was to find a weak spot in the fence and work our way through it until we fitted through. Once we found our way through, we found a fallen tree next to a clearing and sat there for a while, about half an hour later we were snapped back to our senses by a twig snapping and the sound of two people panting as if they'd been running for a few miles, and trying to keep ahead of something or someone. Without thinking we both retreated back behind a bush where we couldn't be seen just as two teenagers, a red-headed girl and boy who looked like brother and sister ran for cover. They both had dark red hair, porcelain skin and striking features that told us that they were definitely not from any of the districts, their clothes were tattered and they had bags under their eyes, they were running as if their lives depended on it, they ran right past us without a glance in our direction, we started to relax until a hovercraft appeared and we were back on alert. It stopped for a minute as if looking for something then disappeared above the trees as if nothing happened.

"Do you think they made it?" Charro asks, as if on cue.

"Where?" I reply,

"Wherever they were going?

"No," I am surprised by my own response.

"Why?"

"Well due to the fact that hovercrafts can travel faster than human beings, they've been pretty lucky so far, they might make it to District 12 but I think they were trying to make it further." Again, I'm surprised by my own response; it's as if the explanation has been building up inside my head for a long time.

"I suppose that makes sense."

We are joined by Jane, our wolf, who has become our hunting companion, we named her after Jane (after Jane had been brutally murdered), when we used to miss her terribly so when we were followed round by a harmless wolf we named the wolf after our friend.

We wander in silence now, checking our snares and collecting berries and other plants. After we've got enough we walk, hand-in-hand, back to the fence where we duck under and casually stroll back to my house where we dump our bags on the kitchen table for my mother to deal with. My dad's only just up, but I don't blame him, he has to make up for lost sleep when he can.

"Bye", I say, gently nudging Charro in the direction of the door. "See you later."

"I'll pick you up at half 11." Charro calls from the gate.

"Okay," I call back.

I walk up to my dressing room and notice that my mother has left an outfit out for me, a short, dark blue dress with long sleeves. As I pick it up I realise it's velvet, it must have been my grandmother's from when she was a real princess, with banquets and crowns and hot chocolate and, most importantly, no Hunger Games. When I look in the mirror I realise how beautiful the dress is, it sparkles like the stars and the dark blue is the night sky. I pull on some dark blue tights and slip into the shoes my mother has left out. They're the same dark blue as the dress and they sparkle as I walk, they're also actually quite comfortable, leather, flexible, and I can walk in wedges better than I thought. I walk downstairs and through to the kitchen.

"Oh," my mother whispers, "Sweetie, you look beautiful. Now let me do something with that hair, it's still got leaves in from the woods." My mother gives a shaky laugh. I can tell she's worried, my parents have always tried to protect me, but they have no power over the reaping, it's the one thing they can't protect me from. I give her a scowl, I'm very picky about my hair, I have to have it long and I have to have it loose. I can't stand it being short; it has to be long and free.

"Can't you just let me curl it and put a bow in it?" my mother says, almost begging "And some silver glitter, it will look stunning."

"Fine," I reply. There's no point arguing with her on reaping day. It might be the last time she gets to do my hair. No, it won't, I tell myself, my name's only in there 8 times, 5 times because it has to and 3 times for tesserae. Tesserae is when you can put your name in the reaping ball an extra time for extra rations of grain and oil once a month until the reaping; just enough for one person to live on, the 3 times are for me, my mother and my father.

I sit patiently and don't complain while my mother carefully curls and positions my hair around my shoulders and then ties it at the back with a loose bow. My mother then disappears to find my cape. I sigh, she knows me too well.

"Here you go." My mother says as she enters the room with my cape in her hands. She then positions it carefully around my hair and dress. "You can look in the mirror now."

I obediently turn around. "Oh," I whisper, "It's beautiful." My mother was right, I look stunning, my hair is placed over my shoulders at the front and at the back tied with a loose, dark blue bow. I suppose it still feels a bit loose. I can live with it for a few hours. It doesn't look like me, I am looking at my twin, my beautiful twin. Not me, not Lily Equestriana, who hunts in the woods and never wears dresses if she can avoid it.

* * *

I decide to wait on our porch swing for Charro. He arrives within minutes and sits down next to me.

"Don't," I say.

"Don't what?" he replies innocently.

"What you're thinking, if I get reaped don't volunteer so you can look after me."

"You can't control me." He snaps at me.

"What if I decided to kill myself so you could get home alive?"

"I wouldn't go home, you know that Lily!"

"Why don't you believe in me? I can look after myself Charro!" I all but scream at him.

"I can't afford to take that risk, Lily!" he screams back at me with a mix of sadness and anger in his eyes.

"Yes you can Charro! Please, if I get reaped don't come with me, if you love me please don't." My anger starts to subside as I see the surrender in his eyes.

"Fine, I can't have this conversation now Lily.

"Now that we've got that out of the way, let's go, we don't want to be late."

"We wouldn't want that now, would we Lily?" Charro gasps in mock horror, I laugh and grab his hand as we walk down the path towards the main square, where our lives could be changed forever.

* * *

I walk over to the sectioned off area for sixteen year-olds and stand awkwardly at the front while the other girls my age talk about the fact that they're names are in the reaping ball five times and how that's one more time that last year, shock horror! It's ridiculous! The girls from the poorer part of District 10, whose names are in there 10, 20, 30, 40 times, are all clustered at the back of the area with worry plain on their faces, if they're reaped then who would collect the tesserae for their family?

My thoughts are interrupted by the mayor of District 10 who welcomes us all to the Reaping and reads us the story of Panem, about the rebellion against the Capitol, how the Capitol won, how they overthrew my grand-parents and sent them to live in this hellhole that is the Districts. I don't care, that was 74 years ago, and this isn't.

After the mayor has finished the speech our new district escort, steps up to the microphone and introduces herself, our old district escort retired, thank goodness, she had pale blue skin and a bubble-gum pink wig. Our new district escort, Lucrecia I think her name is, is actually quite pretty, her hair is black and her skin a genetically altered white, it actually suits her, her make-up is almost unnoticeable and she would definitely not blend in to the Capitol crowds, she just looks too normal. Another good thing about her is she is straight to the point and all too soon she's stepping up to the Reaping bowls.

"And now, let us choose the female tribute first." There is sadness in her voice; I wonder why she took this job?

Her hand roots around the bowl for a slip, she takes one and walks over to the microphone with shaky steps.

"The female tribute of District 10 is…"

She unfolds the slip effortlessly.

_"Lily Equestriana!"_


	2. Chapter 2

"_Lily Equestriana!"_

I'm not scared, I tell myself as I solemnly walk up to the stage. That's when I hear the first gunshot, I reach the stage quickly and turn around, just as the second gunshot goes off. Then I realize, my dad has wrestled a Peacekeeper to the ground and the Peacekeeper is still shooting.

"No, Dad!" I scream. He can't do this for me! The third shot hits the lock of the cattle ranch and a stampede of bulls fly out of the gate, already aggravated by the loud noise. The whole district stands by and watches as my parents, Charro's family, the Peacekeeper and some other people are trampled by the bulls in their frenzy to escape. I close my eyes, hoping this was all a horrible, horrible nightmare. When I open my eyes though, I see something almost as bad. The whole district has descended in to chaos, with people screaming and Peacekeepers shooting randomly into the crowd.

"Stop!" I scream and am surprised by the urgent tone in my voice. "As Princess of America I command you to stop!" the whole district, including Peacekeepers turn and looks at me and then, as if realizing what the words mean, start murmuring and gossiping between themselves.

"Princess of America?" "What?" I hear from the people nearest the stage.

Disgusted. I hand the microphone over to Lucrecia and give her a nod of encouragement.

"We must now choose the boy tribute!" she announces, but there's terror in her voice. To mine, and Lucrecia's, surprise the people fall silent, I don't know why after that display, maybe they feel sorry for her. Or maybe, they think that the boy tribute could help me defy the Capitol. I think it's the latter. Everyone in the district knows about my family's hatred for the Capitol. Now they know why, I suppose.

With shaky steps, Lucrecia walks over to the boy's bowl and picks the first slip she encounters, I suppose she just wants to get it over with, well at least, we agree on one thing.

"Leonis Galloway" she shouts. I hear the murmuring from the crowd and see the sadness on their faces as Leonis limps up to the stage on his crutches.

When he reaches the stage we all help him up the steps and then Lucrecia asks us to shake hands. We do. As we shake hands Leonis gives me a reassuring smile. And it is this simple gesture that I know he is not planning to get out of the arena alive, I feel sick, this thirteen year old boy knows he's going to die, he has no hope if he's already given up on himself. I then turn back to Lucrecia who looks like she will burst into tears at any moment.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you the District 10 tributes of the 74th Hunger Games!" Lucrecia murmurs into the microphone, her voice about to break into sobs.

"Come on Lucrecia," I whisper to her encouragingly.

She lifts her head high and leads us towards the Justice Building.

We follow her obediently. When we arrive at the Justice Building we are thrown in separate rooms to say good-bye to our loved ones. I don't have anyone left to say goodbye to except one person, Charro, even his name almost brings tears to my eyes, Charro, whose family are all dead, trampled, because of me, his mother, his father and his four year old brother Darle. Charro will be, will be, there are no words sad enough to describe what Charro will be feeling now, he did everything he could to protect Darle and he loved him more than anything. All he has left is me, and that won't be for long. His life has been ripped apart all in the space of about an hour. I must stay strong for him, I mustn't cry, I must stay unemotional for Charro.

I sit unfeeling on the sofa in this luxurious room, after about five minutes I can't stand it anymore and I get up and I am about to start pacing when the door bursts open and Charro is there, he has tears in his eyes but he won't let them fall in front of me, he will try not to show pain in front of me, he always does, that was why he was so late, he must have needed time to get himself together.

Before I have time to embrace him he gets down on one knee and pulls a small box out of his pocket, inside is the most beautiful ring I have ever seen, I recognize it as my grandmothers' wedding ring.

_"Lily Equestriana, will you marry me?"_


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N-Thank you for all the reviews and favourites and follows! They really made my day! :D**

"_Lily Equestriana, will you marry me?"_

"Yes," I whisper, "Yes, yes yes!" I shout, my voice rising in volume as I realize what has just happened, "Yes!" I scream now, on the edge of hysteria.

Charro's face is flooded with emotion, I realize that sight makes my heart jump; I must try to see that face more often if I live through this. He carefully puts the ring on my finger and then embraces me, we don't kiss, this is not the time, I need support now, not constant snogging.

"You have to make it home, Lily." He says, his face now full of sadness, it hurts me to see him like this. "If you don't I, I, I, I don't know what I'll do." He stammers, struggling to get the words out.

"I will come home," I promise, and I realize I have no choice now that we're engaged, but, I can't bring myself to feel angry at this point, not when he's so upset. In the space of a day we have both lost and gained something so special. We've lost our families but we have gained our lives together. I have to come home for Charro. "I will."

"I can't live without y-" he starts, but I can't hear it anymore, I don't think I can take it, so I silence him with a kiss, it only lasts for a few seconds because the door bursts open and then the Peacekeepers are there, dragging him away, "We'll finish that when you come back home." He says with a wink. And then he's gone. I may never see him again, stop it Lily, I mentally slap myself, I will win.

I know I have to win now, for him, for us. I mustn't defy the Capitol if they are to let me return home. But I don't know what to do about the people of District 10, I can hear them screaming, hear the gunshots go off as they rebel, a princess and a boy who can barely walk going into the games, how unfair.

When the Peacekeepers come to collect me I don't resist, I follow them with my head held high, when we see the cameras and people asking me all sorts of questions that I can neither understand or be bothered to listen to, I just show them the ring and that shuts them up for just long enough for me to get on the train and shut the doors behind me, as the train starts, I just wave and point to my ring through the window as the train sets off and they disappear into the distance.

When I look away from the window I see Lucrecia and Leonis, waiting for me to come and see the train with them. I walk over and Lucrecia gives me a hug, at first I am surprised, but then I see the sympathy in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry," she whispers.

"It's not your fault," I tell her, "I don't have to worry about them now, and I'm engaged," I point to the ring. I think I hear a sigh of jealousy and a vision of pain flickers across her face for a second and then it goes again.

"One of you has to win." Lucrecia tells us, pulling herself together, and I am surprised by the deadly seriousness in both her face and her voice.

"Like I have a chance," Leonis snorts.

"Of course you have a chance, with your crutches you're almost the fastest in the school. Don't count yourself out." I tell him, and it's true, he is one of the fastest boys in the school, somehow his crutches make him faster than he ever could be, even without the crippled foot.

He opens his mouth to give a reply when we wander into the sitting room and are greeted by Leonis' mentor Indigo Whitart. There is a sharp intake of breath from Lucrecia and I want to burst out laughing, in Indigo's games he was considered quite nice looking, but when he failed to kill anyone during his games he managed to fall out of the eye of the Capitol. I wonder where my mentor is, Lilia Smethen, she won the 67th Hunger Games. She defied the Capitol, she was attacked by the careers and was knocked unconscious, but when mutts attacked everyone else they ignored her because she was as good as dead. This left just her and she won the games. That was a smack in the face for the Capitol; her games haven't been shown since.

I want to be like her, to defy the Capitol, but I can't. If I defy them they'll kill me, rip me up and feed me to some horrible mutts. Mutts are mutations, the Capitol breed them in their laboratories and then use them against us, some of the best mutts, in my opinion, were the jabberjays, they were bred during the rebellion and would repeat an overheard conversation, so they were used to listen in to the rebels plans. The rebels realized this, and fed the jabberjays fake information so the Capitol would be humiliated. When the Capitol found this out, they released them into the wild to die out. But they didn't, they mated with female mockingbirds and created the mockingjay. Birds which can sing and repeat tunes they overhear, me and Charro used to sing to them in the woods. Charro, even his name brings pangs of guilt and happiness to me. I miss him already.

We all sit down in the living area and watch the Reapings. They were shown throughout the day, but only someone in the Capitol with a lot of time on their hands could watch them all live. A few people stick in my head, the boy from District 2, he looked determined as he volunteered and lumbered up to the stage. The girl from 2, Clove I think her name was, she is quite small for a career, but still a giant compared to the people from the other districts; she looks deadly, the look she gave the camera was frightening, if looks could kill everyone watching this would be dead. The girl from 5, she reminds me of a fox, reasonably small but cunning and smart. None of the other tributes look very intimidating, until there's the District 10 reaping; I notice that they've cut out the part where the district rebels against the Peacekeepers. The boy from 11 is a giant; I bet he could take down a few careers any day. The girl from 11 can only just be 12, she's tiny; why did no one volunteer to take her place? She looks so fragile and small as she stands on the stage. The girl from 12 surprises me, she looks so gentle and caring when she volunteers for her sister; but I reckon she has a few tricks up her sleeve yet.

When the reapings are finished Leonis announces he needs and early night, we'll be in the Capitol tomorrow. I say goodnight to everyone and follow him towards the bedrooms.

"Leonis," I say just loud enough that he can hear but no one could eavesdrop on us. He stops and turns around slowly.

"What?" He almost shouts at me. As I see his face in the dim light of the train I see that there are tears streaming down his face. "What Lily?" I can see he's in pain.

In one step I am by his side and embracing him in a hug.

"Oh Leonis," I say, sympathetically. "What's wrong?" I almost slap myself in the face for that, of course I know what's wrong. He's been reaped into the Hunger Games with a crippled foot that's what's wrong.

"Lily, what do you think is wrong, out district is rebelling, we're in the Games. Your parents are dead, my parents are alive but don't want me-" I pull myself out of the hug.

"Stop, what do you mean your parents don't want you?" I just assumed his parents had died at the cruel hands of the slaughterhouse like many other peoples' parents.

"Didn't you know?" He asks, obviously surprised. I thought everyone knew. "After those Bersheen kids told everyone that I was a reject and no one wanted me, I thought everyone would know." The Bersheens, oh what joys they are, they're the bullies of District 10, every school has them, they're the ones who make fun of people and then snicker about it later; they're pathetic.

"I tend to tune them out most of the time." I hate them, they're from the merchant town; their parents work in the shops and spoil their children.

Leonis lets out a weak chuckle. "Well, when I was born I had a crippled foot, my parents decided that I wouldn't bring the family any money, I would just be a burden. So they put me in the community home." I didn't think it was possible for me to feel so sorry for this boy, who was put out onto the streets because of his crippled foot. Who had grown up in the community home and was now going to be in the Hunger Games with me, a boy who must die for me to get home to Charro.

**A/N- I apologize for making this chapter so long I just had to get all of this in one chapter.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N-Sorry I took so long to update, I've had exams and loads of homework to do. Thank you all again for the reviews and favourites! They still make my day.**

_Must die. _The words echo around my head while Leonis looks at me expectedly.

"Oh my gosh, I never knew. I'm so sorry for bringing it up." I say, barely saying the words, I know if I say any more I'll burst into tears.

Leonis' face is full of sadness, he must realise I'm about to cry as he then says, "Well, we better go to bed, we'll be in the Capitol tomorrow morning." he starts walking towards his bedroom.

"Wait," I say and he turns around.

"What's up Lily?" he asks sympathetically.

"It's just that, that," I stammer, choking on the words.

"That I have to die for you to get home to your fiancée?" he reads my mid, but it sounds so harsh and cruel even his sympathetic tone. "Don't worry about it." Why is he being so sympathetic about this? I'm telling him that he will die, oh, I remember now, after we had been reaped. We had to shake hands. His eyes, his eyes, that told me he was not planning to win. He has no life, no future. He can't work in the slaughter house with a crippled foot; he'd be trampled within week.

Without thinking properly, I embraced him into a hug. "Lily?" He asks, obviously worried by my behaviour.

"I'm sorry, it's just that, you're 13 and all this is happening to you, and you've had such a bad life in the community home. But you're strong willed, I've seen the other kids in the community home, they're crushed, not like you. You laugh and smile, they're just empty. Don't count yourself out Leonis, you'll get far yet." I struggle with the words, trying to force the words out before I break down crying. "I'm sorry," I say again. "We better turn in now." I walked towards the door of the nearest bedroom.

"Lily," I turn around, "That's my room."

"Oh," How stupid am I? I've just had a serious conversation and now I'm walking into his bedroom.

By the time I crawl beneath the covers I am already crying, my raucous sobs so loud I'm sure I'll wake everyone up, but I don't care. I cry for my family, I cry for Charro's family, I cry for Leonis, but most of all I cry for Charro. He has lost his family, my family, and now he might lose me. I must get back to District 10, to him. I cry until I can't cry anymore.

* * *

I wake up constantly throughout the night, with visions of children being thrown out on the street and little, innocent Darle being trampled by rampaging bulls. I wake up for the third time and decide to get up; I walk to the bathroom and almost scream at myself in the mirror. There are bags under my eyes and they are still red from my crying last night. My whole face is hollow and worn, my hair is a mess and my cheeks are still tear-stained. I look terrible.

I decide the best thing to do is to get a shower. There are about 20 different buttons so I just press a few and I have a warm soothing shower that smells of lilies.

When I hop out of the shower I dry myself and my hair with a towel and pull on a blue top and jeans. I then discover a hair dryer; my grandma had one that she gave to us. It blows hot air onto your hair and dries it for you. We're some of the only people in District 10 who have one. This one is obviously from the Capitol though, it has about 30 different settings and it's still much smaller than our one at home in District 10.

It seems like I'm the only one up so I wonder down to the dining car and all the food is set out already, there's everything I can think of from scrambled eggs to dainty white bread rolls. I have a look for anything like what we get at home but fail completely; this is obviously cooked professionally by a chef. Our meals were cooked by whoever could be bothered going into the kitchen first.

I settle with a bowl of soup and a bread roll, I will get more later. Just as I sit down Leonis walks in and I see his face light up as he takes in the feast before his eyes, he looks at me with happiness in his eyes, this must be more food than he's ever seen, him coming from the community home and all, last time we saw this much food was when Lilia won her games 7 years ago when the Capitol threw a feast for the whole District. But, the community home never let the children leave the house unless they are going to school.

I see that Leonis is struggling to hold his crutches and a plate of food so I run up to help.

"There you go." I tell him while helping him to sit down and placing his plate down in front of him.

"Thanks Lily." He says, while stuffing his face with as much food as possible.

It is at this moment that Lucrecia walks in.

"Sorry I was so late, I had a crisis, I couldn't find my mascara!" she laughs, me and Leonis look at each other and then smile at her.

"We wouldn't want that would we?" I say sarcastically.

"Haha, very funny. But we're in the Capitol today and who knows who you might meet?" She says with a very obvious wink. Someone's obviously planning on flirting with Indigo.

"How long until we arrive in the Capitol?" Leonis asks.

"About an hour, Lilia and Indigo should be here before then though." She informs us quite formally, I suppose she can't treat us as friends in front of the staff.

We sit in silence and eat our very filling breakfast. Until, about a quarter of an hour later, Indigo and Lilia walk in laughing together.

"Hi you three, I see we all got up early, nervous about today?" Lilia asks us politely while getting her breakfast. Indigo joins us at the table next to Leonis and Lucrecia, I see Lucrecia's sharp intake of breath and want to laugh.

Lilia joins us and then gets straight down to business. "Right, so, today is your first day at the Capitol. First thing when we get there, you'll be handed over to the prep teams, you won't like them or what they do to you but just suck it up. If you want any chance of getting back home you have to make a good impression tonight in the chariots." Like we have a chance, our stylists are pathetic. They just dress the tributes in cow print dresses, tights and impossibly high leather shoes (not the boys obviously).

"Okay," Leonis says.

"Alright," I agree, there's no point in arguing with her, she knows what she's doing.

"Look there's the tunnel," Lucrecia points out enthusiastically.

Leonis and I walk over to the window; this will be our first glance of the Capitol in real life. We are engulfed in tunnel for a few minutes and then we are hit with light.


	5. Chapter 5

The light almost blinds us after the darkness of the tunnels and then, after blinking constantly for about five seconds we look around us. We are surrounded by rainbow buildings in every colour you could think of. The television does not do this place justice; it just doesn't capture the sheer awe that you feel when you see this place for the first time.

"Welcome to the Capitol," Lilia says with fake enthusiasm in her voice. "You'll be here for a while."

And then, we see the Capitol people. I want to flinch away in sheer horror as I see people in all shapes, sizes and colours. They look like a completely different species. With their bubble gum pink hair and matching eyelashes. They disgust me.

And then they see us. They obviously recognise us as tributes and start waving and pointing at us eagerly. As if by some invisible force, Leonis and I both step away from the window. They look so exited and eager, eager for us to die for their entertainment. I want to throw up. Leonis has gone a pale green colour and has disgust all over his face.

"Yep, welcome to the Capitol." Lilia says sarcastically. "Where's Lucrecia gone?"

"Oh, we're here." Lucrecia's voice comes from the door. "Come on you two; let's get you to your prep teams."

* * *

Two painful hours later I'm standing in a see through dressing gown waiting for my stylist to be bothered to come see me. My body is raw from them gluing pieces of paper to my leg and then ripping them off. I now look in a mirror, and then scream. My hair! They've cut it off! Instead of my waist-length hair, I only have a veil of hair down to my shoulders. I scream again.

My prep team come running in, obviously scared for my safety. Well, not mine; but, if I die then they lose their ticket to the best parties I town.

"What's happened?" A man in his late twenties with blue skin and green hair asks innocently.

"My hair! My hair! What did you do to my hair?!" I roar at them and am about to rip their heads off when my stylist enters.

"What's happening here? I'm Salina, your stylist." He enters casually, like this is an everyday occurrence and I want to rip his dark hair right out.

"Your little puppy dogs cut my hair off!" I scream.

"It's not their fault." Salina tells me calmly. "President Snow himself requested we make a few adjustments to your hair. But he will explain all that later."

"Okay, I'll just strangle him then." I am deadly serious when I say this.

"Have fun with that." Salina tells me, distracted by taking in every inch of my body through the see through dressing gown. "Okay, that should do. Follow me, Princess Lily." I pick up on the sarcasm in his voice at my name and the title he put in front of it.

We walk through the building until we reach a secretary's office.

"I'm here with Princess Lily for the President." Salina informs the secretary. I don't even look at her, too afraid of what I might see.

"Okay, he's been waiting for you. Just walk straight though Miss Equestriana." Why can't they stop with the snobby names? They are putting unneeded accents everywhere possible.

"Go on," Salina nudges me towards the door, "I'll be here when you're finished." Because that's a very comforting thought, I add sarcastically.

I walk towards the door and open it, I am then hit with the worst smell I've ever come into contact with, blood and a rose perfume to try and disguise it. It isn't doing a very good job. I want to run away. I can't, a, I would never make it and, b, I don't want to look like a fool in front of the President of Panem. So, instead, I wipe my face clear of all emotion and look around the room. Behind the desk sits President Snow. With his white hair, genetically altered face, his lips inhumanely puffy and his wrinkles stretched out in an unsuccessful attempt to cover them.

"Good afternoon, Princess. We meet again" He says, obviously referring to the last time we met. When he promised I would die. I decide to be uncharacteristically civil, and think about what I would do with my sword if I had it right now.

"Good afternoon. President." I spit the word out.

"Take a seat." I slump into the armchair in front of the desk. I have now decided our President reminds me of a snake, and I am an eagle. Planning when is best to attack.

"You must be wondering why you are here." I wasn't really but I'll just go with it for now.

"I was only told about five minutes ago so I haven't really had much time."

"Well, firstly. About your royal status," I would quite happily bite his head off right now, "You are not a princess, nor a queen. You were never either. America should never have had a monarchy and it certainly doesn't now." he remains calm through this outburst. "You had no right to call yourself _princess_ in front of the whole of District 10."

"I have every right, we may not have a monarchy in charge, but we still have a monarchy. There is no record that the monarchy disappeared! I am a princess!" I shout at him, the calmness gone now. "You have no right to take that away from me." I calm down, mainly because I am out of breath.

"If this is true, then you are still not a princess. Your parents, grand-parents great grand-parents, are all dead. Therefore you would be queen." It hits me like running into a brick wall, but I carry on.

"No, I do not have any power over the country. I am not a queen, I am a princess. Unless you are willing to give me back my rightful place in this country, I am a princess."

"If it gives you peace of mind, you may keep the title, for the rest of your life, however long that may be." So, basically, he's going to kill me off; just like he promised.

"However long that may be." I reply.

"Secondly, about District 10." He swiftly changes the subject.

"You mean the rebellion?" I try my best not to scream the last word out loud.

"Yes, I mean the rebellion, that your parents," I've run into a brick wall again when he says the word, "Ignited through their own stupidity-"

"Don't you dare talk about my parents like that," My voice is quiet and that somehow, that makes it more threatening. "They were cleverer than you." I almost spit the word out at him.

"They may well have been, but that doesn't mean that they weren't stupid enough to try and attack a Peacekeeper."

"Well, they started a rebellion, so I think that that proves they were better than you." I see the anger flash across the President's face for a moment and that gives me pleasure. What twisted people we both are.

"I have sent reinforcements to your District, yet, this just seems to be adding fuel to the flames. So, before I decide to send my nuclear weaponry in, I would like you to try and calm them down."

"No, I won't help you, why should I? We'll all die anyway, you'll kill me in the Games, and after you've done that the rebellion will get worse, then you'll send the nuclear weaponry in."

"You're cleverer than you look Princess. But, you will help us."

"Why would I? You've taken my family. You took Jane. There's nothing else left." This isn't strictly true but I'm not giving him Charro.

"Ah yes, Jane. I remember her, died at the hands of the 'Careers' if I remember rightly."

"Yes, she did," I mask my pain pretty well. "She was twelve. I never found any other friends." I already had Charro at this point so I'm not technically lying to him.

"Well, I guess I shall just take other measures to extinguish the fire."

"Okay."

"I'm sorry about your hair by the way, but that should help towards extinguishing the fire." I could strangle him quite happily right now.

"Sorry doesn't make it grow back, but when I win the games I'll have plenty of time for it to grow back." And with that I walk out of the room closing the door behind me.


	6. Chapter 6

_I hate him_ one emotion courses through my blood after I've been blanking out all emotions. Fear comes next; _I'm going to die_ the next thought gets through the barrier. Then I am hit with emotion, I want nothing more than to collapse into my bed back home.

"Lily, are you okay?" I finally hear Salina's voice. I wonder what I must look like.

"Yeah, I'll recover." I walk over to him and he surprises me when he embraces me into hug.

"Come on; let's get you back to the prep room." I would be surprised by the kindness but I am too flooded with emotion to really care.

* * *

As we walk towards the door I take in Salina's appearance, he has dark, chocolate brown hair, which is combed to the side. He has next to no makeup, eyeliner, mascara and a bit of concealer here and there. Overall he looks about twenty.

Somehow I make it back to the prep room without collapsing. Salina puts his arm around me and guides me to what I presume is his office. The walls are covered in dress designs that are all District 10 themed. There are cows, sheep and horses. I really don't want to dress up as any of these animals.

"These are the designs I've put together so far, but I was hoping you'd be able to help me." Salina looks at me pleadingly; that could be a destructive career move for him. But, I decide to help as best I can.

* * *

After two hours we finally finish the design and Salina sends it to the dressmakers for the chariot ride tonight. The chariot ride is where we are paraded through the centre of the Capitol while the people throw flowers at us and shout our names.

"Do you want me to order us some lunch?" I only just realise hungry I am.

"Yes please," I say enthusiastically. Salina presses a few buttons on the wall and within thirty seconds some bread and a range of sandwich fillers appear.

"I didn't think you'd want much, meetings with our _great_ President Snow tend to take a lot out of people." Salina's voice is dripping with sarcasm.

"How do you know? When have you had the _pleasure_," I put as much venom as possible into the word, "to meet the _glorious_," some more venom, "President Coriolanus Snow?"

"Well, I had the pleasure of meeting the talented ruler of Panem when he told me about you, the _dangerous_ and _threatening_," Salina's voice is now full of venom too, "Princess of Panem, Lily Equestriana. I'm really sorry about your hair but no one can disobey the President and expect to make it to the next week."

"It's okay, I'm sorry for shouting at you and the prep team."

"It's not your fault, I'm sure most people would be angry in that situation, the Prep Team probably weren't listening anyway." It's true; they probably weren't, too caught up in their own insignificant little lives to care about the fact that innocent children are dying right under their noses. I personally am not the most innocent of children, but there are children like Rue, the girl from District 11, and so many others who have died for crimes that happened seventy-four years ago! It makes me sick that they can just sit by and watch.

"How despicable we must seem to you," How did he know what I was thinking? "It's our job to take in the body and the body language; I can just tell that you're angry. I've been telling what people are feeling since I started high school."

"Cool," Is all I can manage because already doubts are forming, could President Snow tell what I was thinking during our little 'encounter' this morning, would other people be able to tell what I'm thinking? I can't have a weakness like this in the Games! My next thought comes out my mouth before I can stop it.

"Could you teach me to read body language?"

"Maybe, after the Chariot ride though. We need to get out of that alive first."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" This will give me an unseen advantage over my competitors, and President Snow.

I am snapped out of my thoughts by a knock on the door.

"Come in Bella," Finally, a normal name!

"Here is Lily's dress, it just got here. The Prep Teams will be able to do the makeup in an hour. They're on a lunch break."

"Okay, send them in when they're finished, and make sure they finish pretty soon, we can't have Lily late for the chariot ride, President Snow would flip." Salina gives me a subtle wink and I smirk back at him.

* * *

I look in the mirror and hold back the words forming in the back of my throat. My makeup! I can't go out in front of the Capitol like this! My makeup is all over the place, it's all smudged and there are finger marks in it. I can't believe my Prep Team could do this to me! They told me they were 'professionals'.

I scream Salina's name as loud as I can and he comes rushing in to my aid.

"Lily what's-" I see his eyes take in my face and he stops mid-sentence. "Oh" is all he can manage.

"Otri, Geana and Powin you have done your job, now can you leave me and Lily alone for a minute?" He addresses the pathetic Prep Team, then, once they've left the room and closed the door behind them, he turns to me. "Oh Lily, what have they done to you? Come here, let's get all of this off." He talks with a very patronising tone, but it doesn't annoy me. I sit quietly as Salina first, wipes off and then re-applies all of my makeup.

"There, that's better." I decide not to turn around until I've got my dress on. Salina goes he gets my dress off the hanger and carefully slides it over my makeup. He decided to leave my hair as it is, shoulder length and loose. "You can turn around now Lily." He holds my shoulders and, being gentle and forceful at the same time, turns me around to the full length mirror on the wall.

I look at my reflection and I look better than I imagined. I am a wolf, the predator. There are scars on my face. I'm not a cute little fluffy wolf; I'm the kind of wolf that will wreak havoc into the world. My dress is beautiful, all synthetic fur, but it looks pretty realistic. My makeup is perfect, my usually quite big eyes have been made to look narrower and more like a wolf, my nose hasn't been edited much. The wolf part is more in your head than anything; it's like how werewolves are represented in pictures, they're not wolves but you can tell that they could rip your head off if you put one foot out of place. "Wow." I whisper.

"I know Lily, you look beautiful." Salina scares me, I forgot he was here.

I see Bella knock on the door and then walk in. "Salina, you need to get the girl to the chariots, unless you want to be late."

"Coming now," Salina tells her, and then holds his hand out to me, "Coming Princess?"

"Wait, we forgot the crown." We thought we might as well flaunt it in the President's face when we get the chance. I grab the crown and then run out of the door like a child. "Come on, let's go!" Salina follows me out the door and then shows me the way to the chariots. We will ride in our chariots around the main square of the Capitol while we are cheered at and get rounds of applause; then President Snow will tell us the story of the rebellion like he does every year. Then we will come back inside and prepare for training tomorrow.

* * *

I clamber into the chariot rather ungracefully and look around at the rest of the tributes. The girl from District 2 is looking right at me; giving one of her trademark looks. I should watch out for her. The District 12 tributes are dressed the same, in plain black tunics, there must be something else coming. I notice Indigo and Lilia are by the District 4 chariot, talking to the mentors, Finnick Odair and Annie Cresta. I notice the way they are standing, when one of them moves the other one moves so they're always the same distance apart. I notice it because my mum used to comment on the fact that Charro and I used to do exactly the same thing. Finnick supposedly has many 'lovers' in the Capitol and Annie went slightly insane in her games. I wonder who knows about, or has noticed those two, and why does Finnick have all of these 'lovers' in the Capitol if he really loves a poor mad girl back home. I wonder what President Snow has against him.

I am just processing all these thoughts when Leonis comes up to the chariot and I help him in. He is dressed in a typical District 10 chariot outfit; he's dressed as a cow. I feel so sorry for him. He has been given a much better pair of crutches, but, the crutches have a cow case on, I can very clearly see the zip down the back.

"Wow, Lily, you look beautiful."

"Thanks Leonis, are those crutches any better than your old ones?"

"They're much better! I wish they had had ones like these in District 10." I choose to ignore the fact that he is talking in past tense, showing me again that he does not want to get home.

We stand there in silence and look around at the other tributes, occasionally making comments about them.

"Lily," Leonis startles me when he says my name in a deadly serious tone, "You won't let me fall will you?" I want to give Leonis a hug right now; this must be so hard on him.

"Of course not, I'll stay right here." Relief floods his face and it's a good job because the chocolate brown horses start to pull the chariot along and we are forced to smile as we get ready to face the Capitol.


	7. Chapter 7

We are taken back by the sheer amount of noise coming from the streets surrounding us; people are throwing flowers and kisses. Roaring and cheering and screaming our names. We bask in the spotlight for a couple of minutes, up until the District 12 tributes come rolling into the square; their simple black leotards and capes now on fire. The people from the Capitol are screaming their names inaudibly while the girl blows kisses and waves; just from looking around me I can tell that all of the other tributes are plotting how to get rid of the competition, we have been forgotten, we are nothing compared to District Twelve. Thank goodness that pretty soon we stop in front of President's Snow's podium and they are forced to stop waving and concentrate on the President's speech.

All through the speech I look President Snow in the eye, waiting for him to look at me and take in my crown and clothes, I'm sure he'll be very happy with my choice of headgear i.e. a crown. I stay staring at him as he talks about the Hunger Games and how 'brilliant' the Capitol is and how he is looking forward to the 74th Annual Hunger Games. It makes me sick how happy the Capitol people are that 1679 children have died, (I had a lot of time on my hands back in District Ten, and a calculator), over a rebellion that happened almost seventy-five years ago. They make me sick.

President Snow finally looks up from his cue cards and catches my glare; I resist the urge to pull my tongue out when I watch his face become a vision of disgust as he takes in my crown. He then smiles a completely fake smile and then I follow his gaze as he turns to watch the screens; the cameras are all moving around getting shots of us, I look straight ahead. Leonis smiles and waves the best he can without falling over and I hear a few sighs of sympathy from the crowd. I watch the camera move around the rest of the tributes and the Twelves get more than their share of spotlight, what would I give to be able to walk over there and slap them across the face? But, then the horses start moving again back towards the Training Centre which will be our home until the Games.

It takes all of my effort to stop myself from running to the elevator, instead I walk calmly over and press the button; I am easily the first one in the lift. Leonis had to go in a different elevator because of his crutches. I didn't see where Lilia and Salina went; I was just concentrating on getting to the lift and up to our floor. The lift doors close just as the Twos walk in; both dressed in what's supposed to be mason's clothing but what is actually a very short dress with very high heels and a pair of shorts with no top, showing Cato's six-pack. They are easily about twice the size of me, I wouldn't like to come up against them either of them in a fight.

When the lift arrives at our floor, Floor 10, I follow the smell of food until I reach the dining room and see Lucrecia, and someone who looks very familiar, embraced in a hug.

"I just can't believe he's gone, and you made it to District 12 as well. There was only one more district to go and then he would've been safe and then I could've come and, and," Lucrecia starts to sob and I resist the urge to run in and hug her and the girl. It was only when the girl start silently crying that I realised she is an Avox, a servant for the Capitol, my great uncle was turned into one when my grand-parents where overthrown and he tried to fight against the Capitol's wrath. The Avoxes have an operation on their tongue so they can't talk, just serve.

The girl turns around and, bam, it hits me, who the girl is. The dark red hair, the porcelain skin and Capitol-like features. It's the girl from the woods! I wonder what happened to the boy. Judging from the parts of the conversation I've just overheard, nothing good.

The girls' eyes light up with recognition when she sees me, and I know what her face is asking me.

"I'm from District 10, I saw you in the woods four years ago, and I'm the Princess of this stupid, messed up country of Panem!" The venom in my voice surprises me; I refrain from shouting the words too loudly in case I get anyone else into trouble, I wouldn't care if there was no one else here because I can't really get into any more trouble than I'm already in. Lucrecia turns around slowly and her face shows worry all over. "I won't tell anyone, I promise." I say, answering her unsaid question, I don't think I'll need much help on the reading body signs, for some reason I almost know what they're thinking; but, it was quite obvious.

The two keep on hugging until a harsh, male voice from the kitchen shouts, "Lavinia get in here!" the Avox girl's name must be Lavinia; it suits her. I look at the two as they say bye to each other and I realise how similar they look, they have different hair colour but their eyes and features are the same. They must be twins, or at least sisters.

Once Lavinia has left the room Lucrecia looks at me, as if she's saying, _Please don't tell anyone_, I answer her with a simple comment, "The others will be here soon."

"I'll tell you everything after tea when I show you your room."

**A/N-Please review, and everyone go read Sister, Dear and True Love Never Dies by CloveDiedForYourSins, my adopted sister**


	8. Chapter 8

After dinner Lucrecia shows us where our rooms are and Leonis turns in to bed, I would too, if Lucrecia hadn't promised to tell me a 'bedtime story' about her and, who I'm guessing is, her sister.

Once we've said goodnight to Leonis we walk into my room and sit on the king-size bed. I sit cross-legged on the pillows and Lucrecia sits, more ladylike, at the end.

"Okay, right, you want to know why I was hugging an Avox who, you obviously could tell, was my sister." Lucrecia starts.

"That would be good, and then I'll tell you why I am not sitting on a throne with one hundred servants granting my every request."

"Okay, well, she's not just my sister, Lavinia is my twin, we used too be identical, but then we had a difference of opinion and we both died our natural, strawberry blonde hair black and red, I got my skin lightened to look like Snow White and she took my boyfriend and made him look like her." She pauses for breath. "I managed to get my boyfriend back but he didn't have enough money to change back to his normal self. It stayed like that for a few years, until four years ago. We all heard rumours about District Thirteen; someone said it was still there. A few people took heed and left, we got letters later on, telling us, in code, that they had made it to District Thirteen and were alive and well. I decided to take a job opening in District Ten so I could run when I got letters from them, I told my fiancée and my sister to run first as they were always much stronger and faster than me, they left four years ago." Lucrecia pauses, trying to hold back tears. "They ran from the Capitol but a hovercraft followed them, they made it to District Twelve before they were caught, the girl tribute from Twelve saw it all and didn't even attempt to save them, just watched as, as" I pass Lucrecia a tissue, she takes it, wiping away her tears and running mascara, she pulls herself together and continues. "As he was speared by the hovercraft and she was trapped by a net and taken back here to wait on the very girl who had sat and watched the scene."

"Oh," I am lost for words, these last twenty-four hours have had two, quite depressing stories in, Leonis and now Lucrecia.

I reach over and hug Lucrecia, muttering soothing words until the sobbing stops. "I loved him Lily," she says and I want to cry too, will Charro be like this if I die?

"I know what it's like to love someone and then think you're going to loose them forever too, look at my engagement ring, and I'm not engaged to Leonis before you ask." She lets out a weak chuckle at my terrible joke.

"Who are you engaged to?"

"A boy, back in District Ten, his name is Charro, he is the only reason I am going to go back home. Now, onto the story of America's monarchy."

**A/N-Sorry for the short chapter I just wanted to leave it on a cliff-hanger, because I am evil mwahaha!**


	9. Chapter 9

"_And now onto the story of America's monarchy_"

"Everyone knows the story about the time when America lost its President; there was a plea for monarchy again. My great-great-grandparents became the new monarchy, the Senate was the Capitol. My great-great-grandparents started the Districts. The Capitol wanted them to work for minimum wage, just enough to live on, no more, no less. The Capital, as it was back then was where the offices were, they processed all the paperwork. The Capitol got mean, whenever the monarchy wanted to pass a law they'd just say no. Eventually my grandparents lost it and, after their rage had passed, they were sent to District 10, they kept the money, which was a lot, but now I'm the only descendant of America's monarchy and I have to get home Lucrecia, I have to, not just for me-"

"-But also for your fiancée." Lucrecia finishes the sentence that I don't want to. "What's his name? Don't worry; there is no surveillance equipment in this room." She answers my unsaid question.

"Charro, I love him with all my heart and I will not die, I will get home to him, and it better not be the last thing I do. He proposed to me so I don't have any choice but to win. And, that doesn't seem likely with President Snow on my tail."

"What do you mean?" Lucrecia asks worriedly.

"I may have had a bit of a run in with President Snow, twice."

"Tell me what happened Lily." It wasn't a question. I poured out everything I could remember right down to the last detail about my two encounters with the President, Lucrecia's jaw dropping more and more every sentence.

"And that is why I have no chance whatsoever of winning the games; I'm hoping I can just escape."

"Well, I can help with that, I heard that the arena is near District Ten, and there is a small gap in the force field where you could get through, Seneca Crane is hoping someone will wander through and get eaten by the wolves in the forest surrounding the District, but, you didn't hear it from me." Lucrecia winks at me as this new chance to get home to Charro dawns on me. I know I will never sleep now; I will be too busy plotting and planning.

I say goodnight to Lucrecia and she walks off to her bedroom. Then I spend about an hour planning to get home to Charro. I will run, away from it all, the Capitol, the Hunger Games and President Snow, I will run to District 13, but I will make it. I still wonder why they would run away from the Capitol, where they have everything they could possibly want. I will have to question her tomorrow before training. Oh, it's training tomorrow; sleep may be a good idea after all. My brain being too slow and tired to process my thoughts properly I collapse onto the pillow and fall asleep almost instantly.

* * *

I wake up still in my chariot outfit, oops. I root through the drawers and pull out a pair of blue jeans and a black t-shirt; I lay them on the bed and go take a shower. After, I pull my clothes on and dry my hair with a hairdryer.

I walk down to breakfast and find that I am the last one down here. Oh well, I walk straight over to the buffet table and laden my plate with food, I will probably burn it all off in training. I sit down next to Leonis and tuck into my breakfast.

"So," Indigo starts, "Your tactics, I have had a discussion with Lilia and we have decided to coach you together as it will give you more chance if you get two different views. Is that okay with you?" Leonis and I both nod. "Okay then, what are you good at, and don't be shy, we want to know exactly what you can do, we won't find you big-headed."

Leonis decides to start, "I'm quite fast on my crutches. I am quite good with a knife at carving meat so I can cook rabbit or any animal I can find. I won't be good at hand-to-hand combat because I need my crutches to balance."

"Okay, avoid running in training, I'll sort out you getting your crutches." He turns to me, "Lily, what are you good at?"

"Well, I am pretty good with a sword and knives. I am not a very fast runner, but if I have a sword I'll be able to fight people off. I can cook quite well. And that's it really."

"Okay, you try to learn some new weapons skills; there may not be swords or knives in the arena. Try to stay away from the swords and knives until your private sessions with the Gamemakers; they'll be around during training so make sure you're doing something useful or impressive while they're watching. Leonis try and learn how to use weapons and then, both of you, have to go to the survival skills stations so you can survive for as long as you need to." Leonis and I nodded simultaneously; we've both seen enough children die of starvation or eating poisonous berries in the Hunger Games.

"Okay, as long as we've got that sorted. Come on, let's go." Everyone leaves the room, obviously just wanting us to get there, Lucrecia and I are the last ones left in the room.

"Lucrecia," she turns around, "Why would your sister, fiancée and you want to leave here, where you have everything you could possibly need or want?"

Lucrecia thinks for a while before answering, "My grandparents knew yours, they always believed your ancestors were right and hated the Capitol too, they thought your family had escaped to District Thirteen but no one ever believed them until the Capitol kept on showing footage of District Thirteen, showing that it was destroyed, but they never got new footage, there was always a mockingjay in the corner, always. Capitol people started to realise and some escaped, but, we were too late to escape. The Capitol realised what was going on and put hovercrafts around the borders. Who then found Lavinia and, and" Lucrecia doesn't finish the sentence and I won't either.

"Oh, I'm sorry for bringing it up," I walk over to the table and grab a napkin, "Here." I give her the napkin and watch as she wipes away the tears and fixes her makeup.

"Come on, before the others realise we aren't there." We run down the corridors until we catch up with them at the lift then go with them to the Training Room down below.


	10. Chapter 10

The elevator stops at ground level and we clamber out, Indigo and Lilia walk towards the glass doors to pull in a few favours and find us some sponsors, this leaves Lucrecia, Leonis and me walking to the centre.

When we arrive Lucrecia wishes us good luck and then runs off, (as much as she can run in those heels), to get sponsors from her friends in the Capitol. An Avox opens the door and we walk in.

"Wow," Leonis breathes and I agree, the Training Centre consists of an enormous gymnasium filled with weapons and various stations for us to learn a new skill, each station has an instructor and there are Avoxes dotted around to practice on.

Someone pins a _10 _to our backs and nudges us towards the girl in the centre of the room, we are the first ones here.

"Welcome, Lily and Leonis, this is the Training Centre, where you will train over the next three days. I'm Atala; I will explain everything once the others get here." We exchange polite conversation with Atala until the other tributes arrive. Once everyone is here Atala begins to explain what we will do over the next three days. In simple form, we are free to go to whatever station we want, whenever we want, and, we cannot engage in combat with another tribute, that's where the Avoxes come in, to practice with. When Atala finishes and lets us go I tell Leonis I'll see him later and wander over to the plants section. I pass the section within ten minutes, learning almost nothing from it; I don't find it hard to distinguish whether a plant is safe or not, they have something about them that almost radiates the words 'don't eat'. I used to amaze Charro with my skill, and then he'd teach me how to use a bow and arrows. Speaking of which, I should go learn some new weapons skills. I decide on spears as I used to be the best in our school year with a javelin so how different can they be?

Quite different, I think to myself afterwards, the spear is much heavier and curves in the air, I'm still quite good though, I can hit a dummy in the heart from about 5 metres away.

Over the next few days I learn a lot, I learn how to use a huge variety of weapons including, maces, axes, daggers, scythes, slingshots and even a whip. I then move on to survival stations, learning how to make a knife from a seemingly useless piece of rock, how to create snares which leave tributes hanging from a tree by their ankles and how to make myself blend into a river bank using different shades of mud and grass.

On the third day we are called out of lunch for our private sessions with the Gamemakers. From District 1 down to District 12, the male tributes going before the girls; before long Leonis' name is called and he disappears through the door. He's going to show the Gamemakers the snares he made up himself. He has an eye for balance and how to hang an opponent by their ankle and then yank them up out of reach of other tributes or animals. After about five minutes my name is called and I walk through the door, ready to show the Gamemakers what the Princess of Panem can do.

Five minutes later I am disgusted, the Gamemakers aren't remotely interested in what I can do, they are more interested in the food and drink in front of them. All I've done so far is shown myself that I can use a sword and skewered a few dummies through the heart. I decide that I don't care if they don't pay attention; they'll give me about eight or nine anyway. Only one of them has watched me all the way through, obviously remembering that I'm the princess. I look up at him and give him a look that says, _I'm done now, let me go_.

"Okay Lily, I think that's all we need to see." I turn around to leave but he stops me, "The President would like to see you Lily, he's just through the doors." The other Gamemakers seem to perk up and pay attention when he says this and they watch me through the door.

"Good afternoon President." I say without even looking, I can smell the horrible odour of roses and blood.

"Good afternoon Lily, I trust I find you in good health?" Oh, the mind games we play, polite yet hiding the fact that we absolutely despise each other.

"Yes, your trust is right, being in the Capitol has done the world of good to me." I watch with satisfaction as the anger flickers across his face, "How about you? I trust the President of Panem is well?" The President is back to smiling.

"I'm very good actually, I must say, I enjoyed your chariot ride last night. The crown was just the cherry on the top of the cake."

"I enjoyed it too, especially your speech, I thought it was very well presented."

"Thank you, now, we shall go to my office in the basement. We will resume conversation there." I follow the President to the lift in silence, then we go down to the basement. The first thing I notice is the roses dotted around, the President must have a rose garden somewhere, if I live that is something I'd like to see.

We turn a corner and the receptionist is sitting at her desk sorting out files and generally just looking busy. The President ignores her and walks straight through the door.

The door closes behind me and I walk over to a very comfy looking seat next to the desk.

"Have you thought about my offer? You can win the games if you just tell Panem that you aren't the princess." There was pleading in his eyes, he knows the damage I can do.

"Well," I begin.

**A/N-Sorry, I just couldn't resist another meeting with our good friend President Snow. Please review, whether you like it or not, reviews make me write more!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N-Okay I'm going to repeat the conversation from the start and in italics, when it goes back to normal it's from where the last chapter left off.**

"_Good afternoon President." I say without even looking, I can smell the horrible odour of roses and blood._

"_Good afternoon Lily, I trust I find you in good health?" Oh, the mind games we play, polite yet hiding the fact that we absolutely despise each other._

"_Yes, your trust is right, being in the Capitol has done the world of good to me." I watch with satisfaction as the anger flickers across his face, "How about you? I trust the President of Panem is well?" The President is back to smiling._

"_I'm very good actually, I must say, I enjoyed your chariot ride last night. The crown was just the cherry on the top of the cake."_

"_I enjoyed it too, especially your speech, I thought it was very well presented."_

"_Thank you, now, we shall go to my office in the basement. We will resume conversation there." I follow the President to the lift in silence, then we go down to the basement. The first thing I notice is the roses dotted around, the President must have a rose garden somewhere, if I live that is something I'd like to see._

_We turn a corner and the receptionist is sitting at her desk sorting out files and generally just looking busy. The President ignores her and walks straight through the door._

_The door closes behind me and I walk over to a very comfy looking seat next to the desk._

"_Have you thought about my offer? You can win the games if you just tell Panem that you aren't the princess." There was pleading in his eyes; he knows the damage I can do._

"_Well," I begin._

"I have thought about it," I enjoy keeping the President on edge it gives me a sort of sick feeling of satisfaction watching him tense up. "You are asking me to deny my own family and ancestry, just so I can get home to absolutely nothing. My parents, my family and my best friend are all dead."

"Your best friend, how did she die?"

"Jane Franklin, she was reaped four years ago." I see recognition arise in his face. It hurts me deep down that he knows her, he would be able to find Charro if he wanted.

"But what about your fiancée? Don't you want to get back to him? Yes I can see the ring on your finger." Damn it, how could I be so stupid?! He's going to know how to get to me now!

"What about him?" I decide to act like I don't know where this is going.

"Don't you want to get home to him?"

"I could get home without your help; you can't kill me off without a reason."

"Would you really like to take that chance with me Lily?"

"Why did Mr Crane decide to have the Arena right next to District Ten?"

"For you Princess, it was all for you. So you can get back home. I'll let that one brew over in your mind shall I?"

"Let me just check I'm right here, you want me to get back home to my District. Ah, I get it now. You think that my District will keep quiet if I get back home, so they won't draw attention to me and I will have escaped the Games. But that could make it worse, couldn't it? What if they think that the Capitol is weak because I have escaped? Then you've got a full-scale rebellion on your hands. And, if I die, there will be a rebellion. The Princess will be dead. You can't win whatever you do. You better have a pretty good plan for the Quarter Quell."

"I can win, I will win. This is my game Lily, you have no hope."

"Would you like to bet on it?" I say as I storm out of the room slamming the door behind me.

As I storm out of the office I almost walk headfirst into the Head Gamemaker Seneca Crane.

"Hello Mr Crane." I say politely.

"Good afternoon Lily, I have to say you impressed me in the private session."

"Thank you, sir." Politeness can get you everywhere in life.

"What are you doing down here?"

"I was just talking to the President, Mr Crane." I watch as surprise displayed itself on the Head Gamemaker's face.

"Oh, okay then. See you soon." He walks away and I follow suit, almost running towards the elevator. I push the button marked _10 _and then I get a bit impatient and start ramming it repeatedly until I hear the _ding _as it reaches the floor and the doors open. I run down the corridor until I reach the dining room.

**A/N-Everyone go and read Dawn Elliot's books, there are Harry Potter, Twilight, Mortal Instruments and Fairy Tales FanFics, everyone go and read, now.**


	12. Chapter 12

"Lily," Lucrecia comes over and hugs me, concern evident on her face. "Where were you? We were all worried about you!" I see past her and everyone else is attempting to look busy and avoiding my gaze. I decide to be truthful.

"President Snow wanted to see me." Now everyone looks at me.

"What?" Lilia is the first to recover. "Why did President Snow want to see you?"

"Well, he was just asking me about something." I see suspicion on their faces, they obviously want to know more but no one has the courage to pursue it.

While the room is silent I grab some food off the table, not really caring what it is as long as it is edible, I then promptly sit down by Leonis as he seems to be the only person here who won't attempt to bombard me with questions.

"How did training go?" I decide that any conversation is better than the awkward silence in this room.

"I just showed them the snares, but, frankly they were probably more interested in the buffet. How did your session go?"

"I just showed them my spear throwing and my sword skills. But, one of them was watching me all the way through. What are we doing for the interviews? The interviews are tomorrow, we sit in our pretty dresses and smart suits, in front of all the people in Panem. The interviewer Caesar Flickerman, asks us about ourselves for three minutes. There are lots of different ways we can take the interview, some people act attractive, some threatening, some all-round nice and some just think that being themselves is interesting enough but it never is. We are each supposed to have three minutes each but the interview time is often made longer or shorter depending on how interesting someone is.

"We'll decide that tomorrow, you'll each have part of the day with Lilia, Indigo and me." Lucrecia tells me. "I'll show you posture and how to sit. Lilia will help you prepare what you're going to say, and Indigo will decide what angle you'll take the interview."

"Okay. So will we spend all day tomorrow working on it? When will I get my outfit?" I aim the question at Salina.

"Yes, you'll spend virtually all day on it. I will prepare your outfit for you and Valeria will prepare Leonis'." I just notice the girl sitting by Salina; she has pale green skin and huge false eyelashes. Her features are obviously highlighted through surgery; she is wearing a puffy blue dress which is strapless and extremely short. I feel sorry for Leonis having this woman for a stylist. No wonder his chariot outfit was so bad. "I'm thinking of a traditional princess-type outfit, what do you think?"

"Yes, that will be perfect," I whisper, this will show President Snow what I think of him. Nothing, I don't need him to live. I can win this by myself, whether he likes it or not. He can't just kill a tribute off for no reason.

"I'm glad you like the idea, it will be finished by tomorrow."

"Thank you."

"It's getting late now," I look over to the clock and it is getting quite late, "You two have got a big day tomorrow, better be saving sleep for the Games in two days." Oh, the Games are in two days, two days which may be my last. No, they won't I tell myself, I will get home to Charro. I will escape back to District 10; if that stops the rebellion there then that's a good thing. Less people will die for me. I'll be surprised if there are still more than half of the population left.

I grab a mug of hot chocolate and a plain biscuit from the table. "Am I allowed this in my room?" I ask like a child.

"Stop messing about Lily, no. Just drink it and eat your biscuit. Then you can go to your room." Lilya answers like a parent. I haven't really talked to Lilya and I now realise that I know next to nothing about my mentor. She tends to be quite quiet when we're all together. I must get to know her better tomorrow.

After spending about 5 minutes dipping my biscuit into the hot chocolate then eating it, very slowly, I down the remains of the mug and say good night. I walk to my room with Leonis and they say night to him as well.

"Lily," Leonis stops me at my door, "If we come across each other in the Games what will we do?" Whenever I had thought about this situation I wound up crying into my pillow, what will I do now?

"To be honest Leonis, I've been hoping that won't happen."

"Lily," Leonis' big eyes look up to me, "If it does, promise that you won't try anything. That you'll just kill me."

"No! I can't kill you Leonis; you're three years younger than me. You're one of my best friends, I can't kill you!"

"Yes you can Lily; if you kill me then you'll be one step closer to _him_." Thank goodness Leonis doesn't say Charro's name, you never know who might be listening in. But I can't deny that Leonis is right, we can't both get home. Leonis has to die in the Games, for me to get back to Charro.

"I can't kill you Leonis, I can't."

"You have to Lily; I don't want to die at the hands of a Career or some mutts. I don't want to be tortured before I die."

"I know you don't Leonis, none of us do. But when the time comes, none of us have any choice. I won't kill you Leonis, I can't."

"Okay Lily, I get it. I'll just have to figure out a way to die my own way. I don't want anyone to think that they had control over when I died. Good night Lily."

I walk into my room feeling extremely down-hearted. I hate them. The Capitol. A thirteen year old boy who has known nothing but suffering his whole life has to die and is plotting his own death while they stuff themselves with every food you can think of. It's not fair. We can't change the family we are born into and we can't change the past. Why should we be punished for crimes that happened seventy-four years ago?


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N-I'm really sorry, I messed up the chapters and forgot to post this one, so sorry everyone.**

I have a horrible night, when I finally get to sleep my dreams are full of deaths, Leonis, my parents, Charro's parents and the image of the District Ten rebellion. When I wake up I look in the mirror and the girl who stares back at me looks terrible, she has bags under her eyes and her hair's a mess. Within seconds I jump into the shower and let the warm water soothe me until I hear a knock on the door then the door opens.

"Lily! It's time to get up!" I hear Lucrecia's voice shout. "Lily?" I dry myself quickly and pull a dressing gown on.

"Yes? I was just in the shower." I say as I walk into my bedroom.

"I was just telling you to get up, come here." Lucrecia takes a spare towel and dries my hair to stop the water dripping down the back of my dressing gown and onto the floor, "Grab some clothes, drag a brush through that hair and meet us at breakfast in ten minutes. We need to start preparing you as soon as possible."

"Okay!" I call as Lucrecia walks out of the room to get Leonis up.

Within five minutes I am entering the dining room where Lucrecia, Indigo and Lilia are sitting.

"Morning," I say while I pile eggs and toast onto my plate.

"Morning Lily, did you see the scores last night?" The training scores! How could I forget? "No, I went to bed early, what did everyone get?"

"Leonis got a six, you got an eight." An eight I'm proud of that, that'll do me fine. "The Careers all got around the eight-to-ten mark, as usual. And the girl from twelve got eleven!" I can't say I'm surprised, there was something about that girl, a smug look about her.

"Wow."

"Have you thought about your interview yet?" Indigo gets back to today.

"Not really," I confess.

"It's okay, that's what we're here for; to help you."

"Thanks."

Leonis enters the room and I rush over to talk to him while he gets some food. "I'm sorry about last night Leonis; I guess I just thought we could both get home."

"It's okay Lily," He whispers to me, "I'm sorry too."

"Look, if I die, you have to win for me, you have to."

"Okay, and if I die you have to promise to get home to _him_." He mimes the last word although there's no point, the President already knows I have a fiancée, and is probably trying to find out who it is as we speak. I decide to just tell him the truth.

"You don't have to whisper Leonis, the President already knows he exists and is trying to find out who he is. So he can use him against me."

"Oh no, Lily. But he won't find out, the whole District is rebelling. No one will speak to one of his spies."

"Oh, Leonis, you are brilliant! Thank you so much!" President Snow won't be able to find Charro! He's safe! Now I can concentrate and get on with my day.

"Lily, it was obvious." Leonis laughs, obviously happy for me.

"What's going on over there?" Indigo shouts, obviously curious.

"Nothing Indigo." We chorus like small children. Our eyes meet and we realise how childish we're being then burst into laughter. I can't stop smiling now I realise that Charro is safe from the iron grip of President Snow.

"Is that so? Okay, come and sit down then." We do as we are told and the table is obviously much happier than before, that was probably me. The rest of breakfast is mainly made up of us laughing and joking. All too soon we have to get down to business.

"Okay, now, we have to start preparing for the interviews I'm afraid. You will spend two hours with Lucrecia and two hours with me and Lilia. You will have two hours with your stylist before the interview. Okay?"

"Okay." Leonis says.

"Okay." I agree.

"Lily, you will spend your first two hours with me and Lilia, Leonis you're with Lucrecia. Okay?"

"Okay." We say at the same time.

"Jinx!" I say and we laugh. It was a stupid little game we used to play when we were little in District 10. "See you later Leonis!" I call as he follows Lucrecia out of the room.

"Come on; let's go to the living room." Lilia and Indigo leave the room with me trailing after them. When I walk in they've already taken up the two chairs, leaving me to sit, by myself, on the couch.

"Okay, how do you think you should appear to the Capitol audience?"

"I do not have a clue. Sorry, I don't know how I can win over the Capitol audience."

"That's okay. We'll just try some angles out with you and then decide which one is the best. We'll start with you being yourself."

Two hours later we have decided that I am going to try and talk about my ancestors for as long as possible and if the engagement ring is brought up I make sure not to say his name or describe him in detail. Just say that he's the most beautiful person in existence and he has a heart of gold, that kind of girl-mad-with-love type thing.

Now I move onto Lucrecia who shows me how to walk with a long dress and ridiculously high heels, but, I probably won't have to wear heels that high as I am naturally quite tall. We then move onto posture and I walk around the room with a pillow on my head to see how long I can balance it for; turns out, quite a while. She then teaches me how to sit and keep smiling. By the time we're done I have sore feet and sore lips from smiling too much. I am glad when Lucrecia orders lunch to her room instead of us going to the dining room so I can tell her about everything about my meeting with President Snow yesterday.

When I've finished pouring out the whole story, including Leonis' input on the matter this morning at breakfast Lucrecia still looks worried. "Lily, you do realise that aggravating President Snow won't help you to get back home. He will get what he wants; even if you escape through the fence he'll come to District 10 and get you, even if he has to go there personally. You can never be safe. If you and Charro get married and have children, your children _will _be reaped. You'll never escape, you can escape the Games but you will never be safe."

What she is saying into my brain, if I get home I'll be putting Charro in danger. But, if I don't get home then he'll kill himself, I know he will; I'd do the exact same if he died. I have to get home. I have to. Even more than before, and I will get home. I know I will.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N-Merry Christmas! Hope everyone had a good day and hopefully you'll enjoy this chapter.**

"Lily," Salina whispers, "You look beautiful." He steps out of the way so I can see myself.

"Wow." is all I can manage to say. A princess stands in front of the mirror. The Princess of America. Not Lily Equestriana, who doesn't care what she looks like. My pale blue dress is from a fairy tale, the heels can only be about two-inches high, nowhere near as high as the ones Lucrecia had me walk in, I let the dress fall down past my ankles and the heels are no longer visible. My makeup is almost unnoticeable; it is pale and just highlights my natural features. The Prep Team were sent out of the room before they could do too much damage.

"Come on, let's go show the others!" I attempt to run out of the room but stumble and Salina has to catch me before I fall. I pretend that didn't happen and carry on walking, very cautiously, towards the elevator. When I get there I ram the button marked _10_ and the elevator starts to move. I reach the tenth floor and see the others all waiting for me, well, probably waiting more for the elevator but I'm here too, so let's not ruin the moment.

Lucrecia is the first to step forward and almost runs into the elevator to hug me. "Lily! You look so beautiful! If you can't win over the audience I don't know who can!" She shouts in her high-pitched Capitol accent, the noise makes my ears hurt but I hug her back, she's my friend. One friendship I never thought I'd have.

"I know! It's such a beautiful dress!" I decide to compliment Salina as he will be the last person I see before the games.

Salina steps forward, I didn't even realise he was there. "Now, now, we all know it's the model not the makeup." Lucrecia laughs at this; it must be some sort of stupid Capitol saying.

"No!" I object; it's only polite to object with someone who's being modest.

"It's an effort from both of you." Leonis stops the argument in its tracks. I only just notice his outfit; he is wearing a dark-ish blue suit which matches my dress. Why did the stylists do that? It will raise unnecessary questions and will almost guarantee that I will come across Leonis in the games. Oh well, I'll just have to escape before the Gamemakers have a chance. I am brought back to the present when I hear the familiar _ding_ of the elevator as we reach the ground floor. We are the only one's here, which surprises me; I thought this place would be full. I must look confused as Lucrecia answers my unasked question.

"We decided it's better to be early than late, Lily. Everyone else will be trying to get in the elevators soon so we better get a move on."

"Okay." We all trust Salina's sense of direction and follow him. Within a few minutes of walking we reach the interviews, the audience is full of people but strangely I don't feel nervous. I'm going to go against the President in front of the whole country, and I'm not nervous. I wait for Leonis and then we are directed to our seats off stage, the TVs will still see us though so we must sit like our escorts showed us. I sit with my hands in my lap and make sure that I keep my feet on the floor. The other tributes start to arrive and I smile, taking them all in one by one. If I think that they can be a threat I make a mental note of it in my head. The boy and girl from One, the boy and girl form Two, the boy and girl from Four, the boy from Eleven and, of course, the girl from Twelve.

Pretty quickly the interviews start, the girl from each district appearing first, the girl from One is wearing a gold see through dress and is obviously trying to make herself appeal to the Capitol audience. The boy from Two is boisterous and boastful he can't wait to kill all of us. The rest pass by in a blur, until I hear Caesar Flickerman shout _Lily Equestriana_ and I find myself walking up to him.

"Lily!" He greets me like an old friend.

"Caesar!" I take his hands and he kisses me on the cheeks.

"May I say you look beautiful Lily, just like a princess?"

"I can't take the credit; it was my stylist, Salina." I look up to the balcony where he is standing and he waves at the cameras.

Right from when Caesar mentioned the word 'princess' I could see where this is going; this will be where I betray the President in front of his beloved country. "Speaking of princess, I think we're all wondering about what you said at the Reaping, you said you are the princess of Panem. Would you explain to us how this is possible?"

"Well," I begin, and I notice that it is completely silent; everyone is waiting to hear what I have to say. I imagine what President Snow's face will be like right now and that urges me to carry on. "My ancestors were the rulers of Panem; the Capitol didn't like the fact that they were trying to get rid of them and their power. So they were kicked out the monarchy and sent them to District 10 and nothing much else happened until the Reaping. Of course it's a lot more complicated than that but I thought it would be best if I didn't confuse anyone."

It takes a few seconds for this information to sink in. "Oh, Lily, we had no idea that this happened. Everyone said they had died, I don't remember, I'm not that old. I don't look it do I?" His overreaction is annoying me. The audience shout "No!" at Caesar and some scream "Yes!" I chuckle politely at them and smile into the audience.

"Of course you don't Caesar, but, I don't know what the people were told, I only know what my grandparents told me."

"Of course Lily." What I would give to see the President's face right now.

"But, that's all history now." I decide to change the subject, I want to make as much of an imprint as possible on the capitol people's tiny minds.

"Yes, yes it is. So, let's talk about the Games, do you think you have a chance?"

"Yes, I think I have a chance at winning and I have to get home for my fiancée." I point to the ring and a few _Oh_'s and _Aww_'s come from the audience.

"Ah, yes, your fiancée, tell us about him. I'm sure many people in the audience are jealous of him."

"Well, he is the most important thing to me in the world, and I love him with my whole heart. I _will_ get home to him."

"I'm sure all of us here wish you luck and hope you win. Unfortunately, that's all the time we have. Ladies and gentlemen, _Lily Equestriana_!"

He takes my hand and I courtesy, the audience are going wild, screaming and clapping. I would feel special if they hadn't done this for everyone else. I am glad it ended there because I think Caesar might have pushed me for a name and that's the last thing I want to give President Snow, something with which he can blackmail me. I head back to my seat and wish Leonis good luck as he heads up for the stage. I watch the interview with interest as, at first Leonis and Caesar exchange jokes and then, when asked, he tells them about his childhood. I wonder if his parents are watching this, if they are, they should feel horrible. They left a child on the streets and now he's in the Hunger Games. By the end of his three minutes most of the audience are reaching for tissues, and tears streaming down their cheeks. But, they don't care; they will probably enjoy watching Leonis' death. I just hope it won't have to be me who delivers the final blow.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N-Sorry about forgetting to post chapter 13, so sorry everyone. Anyways, hope you enjoy! Please review if you can.**

The District Eleven interviews pass pretty quickly, little Rue dressed as a fairy, fluttering across the stage and her District partner acting sullen and hostile, I wouldn't like to come across him in the games.

Then come the District Twelve interviews, the girl, Katniss, twirls around in her dress and giggles like a two year-old. She then talks about her little sister who she volunteered for and she acts secretive. I look around and can see the look of disgust on hers and the other tribute's faces. How did she get an eleven in training? After sitting through three minutes of this the boy tribute comes onto the stage.

Him and Caesar exchange a few jokes and have a bout where they start smelling each other. Then, Caesar asks him if he has a special girl, he says, "She came here with me." upon hearing this there is a ripple of disgust starting from District One down to District Eleven. The rest of us have been wiped off the map. Him declaring his love for her will guarantee them both sympathy sponsors and gives them a much better chance of winning.

Once the interviews are over we head towards the elevator but I am stopped, not again. I roll my eyes and follow the assistant to his office; I've been here too much, I don't want to deal with this now, I want to finish up on my body language reading with Salina, not have another confrontation.

I don't even bother knocking on the door, I just walk straight in. "Hello President. The snake-eyes look up and look at me angrily, I knew he would be mad so why does it shock me just how angry he actually is?

"Don't play games with me Lily." His voice is low and harsh. "You just disobeyed me in front of the whole country. Do you have any idea what you have just done?"

"Yes, I told the truth and it's Princess Lily."

"You better prepare yourself for the Games Lily, because they will be hell."

"They are going to be hell anyway."

"Well, you can guarantee that you will come across your District partner, Leonis." The one thing I didn't want to happen is going to. I will have to escape earlier than planned.

"So? He has no chance anyway. If I come across him he will have a quick death, not like the long drawn out death he would get if anyone else came across him."

"If you say so princess. Now, I won't keep you any longer, good night, and good luck tomorrow." He says sarcastically.

"Good night President." I walk out of the room, making a point of slamming the door behind me.

"What am I feeling now?" Salina asks.

"Hopeful." We have been doing this for the past hour and I have only just got the hang of it. Salina has been teaching me to read body language like he said he would a while back.

"Yes! Hooray! You've got it!" Salina shouts then gives me a congratulatory hug.

"Yes! Thank goodness."

"Now, you better get some sleep, Lucrecia, Indigo, Lilia and Leonis should all still be up in the living room. This will be the last time you see them before the Games."

I follow Salina obediently as this will probably be the last time I see them all. If I get out tomorrow then Charro and I will have to run away, we can't ever risk being found. We will go to District Thirteen and help to rebel against the Capitol. I wonder, why was District Thirteen was allowed to live?

When we enter the room I am immediately embraced by Lucrecia. "Lily! You have to win, you have to!" I so badly want to tell her my plan but anyone could be listening in now that President Snow despises me, he did before but now he will do everything in his power to prevent me getting home. I'll have to escape during the bloodbath when no one will pay attention to a little girl in the woods, who has no tracker and can't be picked up by the cameras.

"Lucrecia!" I hug her back, I am glad I've made a friend out of this mess. If I could win the Games we'd become better friends but I know that I have no chance. I just hope that Charro doesn't do anything stupid before I can get to him.

"I promise I will find as many sponsors as I can, I will not let you go down without a fight."

"We will too." Indigo and Lilia appear behind me. I'm just glad that Leonis isn't here, I wonder where he is.

I walk over and hug Indigo and Lilia, "Good luck, sweetie, I promise we'll all try our best to get you home." I really wish I could tell them that they don't need to go to all this trouble. But I can't.

"Bye Lily. Hopefully we won't come across each other." I turn around and Leonis is stood by the door. I run over to stand by him.

"Leonis, please be careful."

"Of course I will Lily, but you have to promise me that you'll get back home. For me, for all of us, for him."

"I will, I promise you. All of you." I step forward and embrace him. He hugs me back and we stay there. "Good luck Leonis." I whisper to him.

"You too Lily." I step towards the door.

"Good night everyone." I step out of the door before I can do something stupid like cry.

When I enter my room I change into a pair of silk pyjamas and crawl between the covers for what could be the last time I ever sleep.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N-I have started on a new book, The 70th Hunger Games, it's about Annie Cresta and her games, it would mean a lot if you read or even reviewed. Sorry it took so long to post!**

I am jolted awake by a muffled _thud_ as my head hits the, admittedly fluffy, carpet.

"Ouch." I mutter as I put my hand against my head, only to wince at the pain. "How the hell did I do that?" I whisper to myself before deciding to just get on with it.

A few minutes later I flop back down onto the bed to wait for Salina to come and take me to the hovercraft, to the Games. I am not disappointed as Salina throws open my door, needless to say, I jumped, in a matter of a few seconds.

"There's this thing called knocking, ever heard of it? It warns people that you're coming in so you don't scare them."

"Nice to see you too Lily. Now, come on, you ready?"

"Not really, but, let's just get it over with I suppose."

Salina leads the way to the hovercraft and I follow obediently. Once there I put my hands and feet on the ladder and I am stuck, held by an invisible force. I don't like it, but, luckily, it's over pretty soon. Once we reach the hovercraft Salina steps off but it won't let me go; then, I see a woman with a needle come towards me, _this must be how I get my tracker_, I think to myself.

"Ouch," I almost shout, but the woman doesn't even look up. She doesn't care that I'm in pain. Why would she? I'm just another tribute in the Hunger Games who will almost certainly die. Besides, I'll be in more pain when I have to get this thing out of my arm.

Once the needle is out of my arm I am released and immediately run over to Salina. He points to the seat next to him and I flop, rather ungracefully, into it.

"Have something to eat," I give him a look and he adds, "Just a bread roll and drink some milk, it could be days before you get any more protein." I nod, he is right, I need to eat something.

"You can win this you know, don't give me that look, you can."

"But what about the boy and girl from 12? She got an 11 and he made them the 'romance' of the Games. If I kill them I'll be hated by the Capitol."

"So? Since when did you care about the population of the Capitol?"

"Since I met you and Lucrecia, I thought, if you two are so nice I have to give them all a chance. I don't know why, I've been brought up to hate the Capitol, no offence."

"None taken, but, not all of the Capitol will care if you kill Katniss or Peeta. There will be little kids out there, watching you, because they love princesses. If their princess were to die then what happens to their image of a 'happily ever after'?"

"It gets shattered. Oh," The information sinks in as we walk down the corridor to the Launch Room. "I never realised. That's why he didn't want me to tell anyone."

He hands me the clothes I will wear in the arena. They are quite plain with boots that are quite like my ones back home. Sturdy but comfortable.

"Expect cold nights, the jacket is designed to hold heat."

"Okay, when do I go?" I am bobbing on my tiptoes, waiting.

"I don't know; stand on the circle though, just to be sure." I hug him and say bye, he wishes me good luck and I step onto the plate just as a glass tube circles me and I am trapped, I immediately back to the side on instinct and put my hand to Salina's, leaving handprints on the glass. He mouths the words _good luck_ to me and I smile encouragingly back at him as the disk moves upwards and light floods into the cylinder. I stand tall as I rise towards the arena.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, let the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games begin!" I hear Claudius Templesmith's voice boom around me. We only have sixty seconds before the gong.

Once I reach the top I am blinded by the light; I can smell pine trees and feel the wind blowing my hair behind me. I hold my ring as I look around.

The golden Cornucopia is right in front of me, spilling over with everything we need to stay alive: food, weapons, water. Behind me is a steep drop, I won't be running that way; I see the forest, the forest that will lead me back to District 10. I position myself to run towards my home.

The gong goes off and the Games have begun.

**A/N-Over to you CloveDiedForYourSins. Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed this FanFic, I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Any last reviews are appreciated so much. Anyways, now the FanFic has been handed over to CloveDiedForYourSins, who shall write about what happens to Lily from the gong onwards. Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, followed or favourited the FanFic.**

** -LilyLunaPotter.**


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